Should Athlete’s Be Able To Take Paternity Leave? [Audio]

Monday was the beginning of the Major League Baseball season. A day in which the majority of baseball players get excited to finally begin the journey with a clean slate.

With New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, that day had to be delayed until earlier today because of the birth of his first child Noah.

As agreed to on the latest collective bargaining agreement, it is now allowed up to three days of days off to what is called “paternity leave” to attend to the birth of a child.

For Murphy’s decision he got ripped by media, especially talk radio where former Giants quarterback Boomer Esiason and long time sports talk show host Mike Francesa ripped him for his decision to be with his wife.

“One day, go see the baby be born and come back,” Francesa said. “You’re a Major League Baseball player. You can hire a nurse to take care of the baby if your wife needs help.”

Meanwhile, Esiason went one step further with his comments, even saying he’d make his wife get a c-section before the season.

“I would’ve said C-Section before the season starts,” he said. “I need to be at opening day.”

That’s a pretty big decision to make for a woman, isn’t it.

While I understand what they are saying in that they cannot do too much for the woman or the child during the time immediately after birth, and we are talking about the macho world of sports.

Yet, in society today we want men to support women more than ever before, but get ripped when they do so.

New York is not required to offer paid paternity leave unless they offer maternity leave. Other states such as New Jersey, California and Washington offer up to 6 weeks of paternity leave with a percentage of pay.

Major League Baseball gives you up to three days. Tampa Bay Rays have recently placed utility man Sean Rodriguez on the paternity leave list himself.

So what should be the right procedure for athletes who become fathers? Let us know what you think.